1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to surface mounted, right angle electrical connectors.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,014 shows an approach for the manufacturing of backplane connectors using one or more PCB assemblies. Each of the PCB assemblies comprises one insulated substrate, one spacer, and one cover plate, all of which are attached to one another. The insulating substrate is provided with a predetermined pattern of conducting tracks, while ground tracks are provided between the conducting tracks. The conducting tracks are connected at one end to a female contact terminal for connection to the backplane and at the other end to a male through-hole contact terminal.
PCT Patent Application Ser. No.U.S.96/11214 filed Jul. 2, 1996 also discloses connectors employing side-by-side circuit substrates. The connectors disclosed in that application also employ through-hole terminals to make a mechanically and electrically secure connection to the circuit board on which the connector is to be mounted. The disclosure of the above-mentioned application is incorporated herein by reference.
While both of the above-mentioned connector arrangements can yield useful interconnection systems, many manufacturers of electronic equipment prefer to surface mount components on printed circuit boards. Surface mounting provides enhanced opportunities for miniaturization and the potential for mounting components on both sides of the circuit board.
It is an object of the present invention to provide high speed connectors that can be surface mounted onto a receiving substrate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide surface mount connectors having relatively low manufacturing costs.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in one aspect of the present invention by a right angle electrical connector, surface mountable to a substrate. The connector comprises: a body; a plurality of conductive elements secured to the body; and a plurality of fusible elements. The conductive elements have: a mating portion generally parallel to the substrate to engage corresponding contacts in a mating connector; and a mounting portion adjacent the substrate. Each fusible elements secures to a corresponding mounting portion of a conductive element before the connector mounts to the substrate.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in another aspect of the present invention by a right angle backplane receptacle connector. The connector comprises: a housing; and a plurality of modules retained by said housing. Each module has: a plurality of contacts, and a plurality of fusible elements. The contacts each have a female mating portion for engaging a corresponding contact on a mating connector and a mounting portion generally transverse to the mating portion. The fusible elements are each secured to a corresponding mounting portion before the connector mounts to the substrate.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in another aspect of the present invention by a right angle backplane connector having a substrate mounting portion. The improvement comprises the substrate mounting portion having solder balls.